Naughty In Nice (A Royal Spyness Mystery)

Again, you’d be the person to deal with him, Georgie. Try out your feminine charms on him and get him to confess all.”
    “Golly, you make me sound like Mata Hari,” I said with an embarrassed laugh. “I did half suggest that he took the necklace and he just laughed it off. Never exactly said that he didn’t. And he does have a good motive—his father keeps him short of cash. He has gambling debts, and he’s opportunistic.”
    “And he was the only one who actually had his hands on you when he pulled you up,” Coco said.
    “Well, the Prince of Wales helped me up too, but he wouldn’t steal his mother’s necklace.”
    “Ah, but what about that Mrs. Simpson?” Mummy said venomously. “I wouldn’t put it past her.” Mummy and Mrs. Simpson had developed an instant loathing for each other, which I found amusing.
    “Mummy, he has enough money to have an identical piece made for her if she wants it,” I said.
    “And the same goes for Jean-Paul,” Coco said. “He was also one of the first on the scene, wasn’t he? But I don’t believe he actually touched you, did he, ma petite ?”
    “No, I think he went ahead to find me a chair and a glass of brandy. Besides, he’s rich too, isn’t he?”
    “One of the richest men in France, so we hear,” Coco said. “And he has his eye on our little Georgiana, I think. Not a bad match, ma petite . Wealth and a title. And what is more, he will keep you happy in bed.”
    I tried not to blush.
    “He’s too old for her,” my mother said. “I believe he’ll settle down with a more mature woman. That type always does.”
    “Are you putting yourself forward as a candidate?” Vera asked.
    “Of course not.” She paused, considering. “But he does have the most wonderful come-to-bed eyes, doesn’t he? Should we invite him round for dinner, do you think?”
    “Enough of this idle chatter. I think we should concentrate on recovering the queen’s choker,” Vera said. “We will go into town this morning. I will go to the station and see if anyone who was at the party left Nice in a hurry. I will also give a description of the stones to the local jewelers, just in case someone dares to break up the necklace and tries to sell the stones separately. And Georgiana must send her telegram to her grandfather immediately, and then visit the princesses and try to find the young master Groper.”
    “We have a busy morning ahead of us, it would seem,” Coco said. “I shall go into town as well, to see if the Paris newspapers have arrived. I want to know if we made the front page.”
    “My dear, you live for notoriety. It’s not healthy,” Vera said.
    “Nonsense. It is very healthy. We all seek fame. I’m just honest about it.” Coco stood up and went over to the railing, looking out over the ocean. “It looks as if the weather will break later,” she said. “We should get busy right away.”
    I took a deep breath, not at all comfortable about confronting three such formidable women. “I don’t know if I’ll be able to do all those things today,” I said. “I have a date with Sir Toby Groper.”

 
    Chapter 17
     
    Villa Marguerite
January 26, 1933
Weather not too promising. If I’m to go sailing it should be
soon, but Mummy has other plans.
     
    “Sir Toby?” My mother wrinkled her nose. “What on earth for?”
    “He invited me to swim in his pool and take a jaunt on his yacht,” I said. “I felt I should take him up on it before he forgets.”
    “I can’t think of anything worse than swimming in a pool with something resembling a pink walrus,” Mummy said. “Besides, I don’t think Olga is going to welcome the presence of a younger woman. She’ll probably push you off the cliff when nobody’s looking.”
    “I believe Olga has departed, judging from the scene I witnessed yesterday,” I said.
    “Dear me, I wonder what brought that on?” Mummy said.
    “Something he’d found out about her, I gather. She was livid and stormed out uttering curses.”
    “Fascinating. In that case I insist that you go and visit him immediately and get all the juicy details. I adore scandals, don’t you, Coco?”
    “You know I do,” Coco said.
    “I say, you two,” Vera said peevishly, “surely the queen’s necklace is more important than gossip with Sir Toby. We must forge ahead with our investigation. The telegram and the princesses . . .”
    “I simply couldn’t call on the princesses at this hour of the morning. It isn’t done, is it?”